Prince William and the Royal Foundation launch UK-wide programme to end homelessness

Prince William will today, (Monday 26th June 2023), launch Homewards, a five-year locally led programme which will demonstrate that together it is possible to end homelessness: making it rare, brief, and unrepeated.

The Royal Foundation is bringing together an unprecedented network of organisations and individuals committed to ending homelessness including World Habitat who have shared their expertise with the programme and are delighted to be one of a number of significant sector partners.

Homewards will take a transformative approach to the issue of homelessness and put collaboration at its heart, giving six flagship locations new space, tools, and relationships to showcase what can be achieved through a collective effort focused on preventing homelessness in their areas. The six locations will be gradually unveiled by Prince William as he embarks on a UK tour which will take place over the next two days (Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th June), starting in London.

At each location, Homewards will support local partners to form locally led coalitions of committed individuals, organisations, and businesses who will work together to create and deliver a tailored plan to prevent homelessness in their areas – based on local needs and local expertise.

Homes will be a focus of the Homewards programme as each flagship location will be supported to deliver an innovative housing project that will test new ways to unlock homes at scale within the location and beyond.

World Habitat CEO, David Ireland said

‘“Many of the world’s social problems seem insoluble, but we know from our work on the European End Street Homelessness Campaign that this isn’t one of them.  I really welcome the Prince of Wales’ Homeward campaign, that will unite so many organisations and sectors. Together we will demonstrate that it’s possible to end homelessness.”

How do we know this will work?

Innovative work and progress in the UK, along side international success stories such as World Habitat Award winners in Finland and the US and in our European End Street Homelessness Campaign have proven it can be solved if we focus on preventing it, rather than managing the problem.

Homewards is a five-year commitment. By the end of that period, they want the locations to be on a path to ending homelessness for good – making it rare, brief, and unrepeated.